A drama in which Jesus Christ returns to Earth as a Manchester City football supporter is to be shown on ITV1.

The Second Coming will star Christopher Eccleston as the Messiah in the shape of a video shop worker from Salford, Greater Manchester.

Talk about risky projects - I think it's fantastic

Christopher Eccleston

The two-part drama has been written by Russell T Davies, who created the controversial Channel 4 series Queer as Folk and ITV1's Bob and Rose.

It forms part of ITV's winter season of programmes and will be shown in early 2003.

Proclaims

Eccleston plays Steven Baxter, who is found starving after spending 40 days and nights alone on the Yorkshire Moors.

He proclaims himself as the Son of God and to convince people he turns night into day at Manchester City's ground, Maine Road.

He then has five days to help the human race produce a Third Testament or face judgment day.

Eccleston admitted that some people might find the subject matter controversial.

"Talk about risky projects - I think it's fantastic," he said.

ITV1 will also be screening an adaptation of DH Lawrence's Sons and Lovers as well as new programmes for the channel's stars Robson Green, Ross Kemp and Martin Kemp.

The final series of Cold Feet will be shown as well as new series of A Touch Of Frost, Poirot, At Home With The Braithwaites and Ant And Dec's Saturday Night Take Away.

Meanwhile, sister channel ITV2 will be showing the latest series of the US version of Pop Idol, American Idol 2, a day after it is screened in its home country.